After its release in 2006, a browser plug-in called AdBlock Plus gained hero status as an open-source effort to save consumers from obnoxious ads. But in 2011, AdBlock Plus began poking holes in its filter, adding a whitelist of "acceptable ads" that it lets through--some of them for a fee. Brooke talks with Till Faida, AdBlock Plus’ managing director, about his company's policy.

5ive Style -- Outta Space Canoe Race

Over the past year, the Pabst brewing company, which makes Old Milwaukee, has honed the "soft sell" to a sharp edge, reminiscent of the brothers Bert and Harry Piel. They have been filming spots starring Will Ferrell that only air in select markets. But these spots have an advantage the Piel commercials didn't - internet virality.

On Sunday, the critically acclaimed AMC series Mad Men launches its sixth season. On Mad Men we see admen scrambling to match their ads to a new era - the 1960's. But in 1955, one real adman saw the future of advertising and it was funny. WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells the story of the pioneers of the "soft sell."

This week, the Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism released its annual “State of the News Media” report, detailing the health, or in this case the frailty, of mainstream US media online and off. The report contained a litany of grim statistics about the consumption and economics of news. Bob talks to Pew Associate Director Mark Jurkowitz, who says the situation isn’t is bleak as it could be.

Beastie Boys - Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament

Back in 2005, Bob explained his Chaos Scenario about the future of media — including TV.  Now, he reflects back on predictions he made and the status of television viewing today.

The Who - Baba O'Riley

UPDATE: Gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna has conceded Washington's governor's race.

Last week, Bob spoke to Eli Sanders of The Stranger about the Seattle Times advertising on behalf of political campaigns.

This week, we received a letter from a Seattle Times subscriber and OTM listener named Diane Civic, which read:

I called today to cancel my [subscription] because of this ad and was told that a lot of people were calling and I could instead put my subscription on a "protest hold" which would send a message to the Ad Dept and editorial board about the impact of the ad. The Customer Service Dept did not appear to be happy about the decision. Might be interesting to investigate how many "protest holds" there were and the response of the editorial board.

Late night ads for lawyers on TV seem like the lowest form of advertising - they prey on the weak and sleep deprived, encouraging them to monetize their misery by starting frivolous lawsuits. But might they actually serve a purpose? In a piece that originally aired in 2011, Bob talks to legal experts as well as the grandfather of legal advertising, and finds that even the sleaziest ad does something for the common good.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are unleashing a new ad campaign that graphically depicts the consequences of smoking. The campaign, called "Tips From Former Smokers," is the first of its kind by the federal government.  Bob speaks to CDC director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden about the new commercials.

For years, Pepsi was the "Choice of a New Generation." The iconic tagline was used in Pepsi advertisements throughout the 1980s, but now the breakfast cereal company MOM Brands is repurposing the phrase to market its Better Oats instant oatmeal. Bob speaks to MOM Brands corporate communications manager Linda Fisher about using an old tagline for a new product.

Boots Randolph - Yakety Sax

Dozens of advertisers have pulled their ads from Rush Limbaugh's radio show. But as The Atlantic Wire's Ellie Reeve found out, some of those advertisers didn't know they were advertising on the show in the first place. Others had already instructed stations not to air their spots during Limbaugh's show. Bob speaks with Reeve and then with Kim Vasey of GroupM who says advertisers not knowing where their ads are running is not uncommon.

Battles - White Electric (Shabazz Palaces Remix)

It's Superbowl weekend, and for non-football fans who've been coerced into watching the game by social pressure of geological magnitude, there's always the ads to look forward to. (Although advertisers are ruining the fun by leaking their ads ahead of time.)

There's almost no chance any of those ...

Today marks ten years since the passing of Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's. [Full disclosure: The "Frosty," the restaurant's signature frozen dessert, is a particular favorite of our host, Bob Garfield.] Thomas gained fame not only as Wendy's CEO, but also as its folksy TV pitchman, appearing in more than 800 ads. Though his legacy was tainted by some bad calls, it's hard to overstate his skill as a businessman and marketer. 

This anniversary got me thinking about the TV spokespeople I remember most vividly. I came up with a list of ten who've made an indelible impression on my psyche, for better or for worse.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints—otherwise known as the Mormon Church—is expanding a national media campaign to dispel misconceptions the public might have about its members. Brooke spoke with Ron Wilson, the church's manager for internet and advertising, about the campaign and the misconceptions it hopes to correct.

The Heath Brothers - "Smilin' Billy"

Late night ads for lawyers on TV seem like the lowest form of advertising - they prey on the weak and sleep deprived, encouraging them to monetize their misery by starting frivolous lawsuits. But might they actually serve a purpose? Bob talks to legal experts as well as the grandfather of legal advertising, and finds that even the sleaziest ad does something for the common good.